What changes do we propose?

Within Glasgow City, approximately £349m is spent every year by the NHS and social work services on providing care for older people. The biggest area of spend – 44% – is on hospitals and long term care homes.

Glasgow has proportionately more emergency admissions to hospital per head of population than other cities in Scotland and the rate is increasing. The number of patients prevented from leaving hospital when they are ready to do so is also higher than other cities, although the rate is declining.

Action is needed to improve the management of delayed discharges and prevent emergency admissions so that hospital resources can be better used.

We want to redesign our care system so that more can be done to prevent people becoming unwell and to support them to stay at home for as long as possible.

This will see:

a shift away from generic long-term care, with people being supported to remain longer in their own homes;

a corresponding shift towards higher dependency palliative and end of life care on the one hand, and shorter-term rehabilitative care on the other;

the need for intermediate (step up/step down) care as an alternative to people being admitted to or remaining in hospital unnecessarily;

an increased need for respite care;

an increased need for specialist dementia provision;

new models of group care that provide greater scope for independence within the caring environment; and,

the need to ensure sustained commitment and investment in quality and improved outcomes.